What Probe does

Probe is a UK-based manufacturer of steel lockers, cupboards and cloakroom furniture, operating as a trading brand of Whittan Industrial Limited and produced across two manufacturing facilities — Link51 in Telford and Lion Steel Equipment in Hyde. Established in 1960, the company sells exclusively through a nationwide distributor and dealer network, supported by a dedicated dealer portal, business development managers covering regional UK territories (North, South, Midlands and Ireland), and a structured five-step installation and maintenance service. The product range spans more than fifteen locker families — Standard Steel, Fire Suppression, Work Wear, Large Capacity, Garment Management, Reduced Height, Education, Golf, Security, PowerBox, BuzzBox, TimberBox, ShockBox, ZenBox and ZenBox Ultra — alongside workplace cupboards, COSHH/medical/PPE specialist cupboards and premium cloakroom furniture, with all lockers carrying ActiveCoat antimicrobial coating as standard and a 7-year warranty.

The company monetises through one-time hardware sales of configurable steel products priced by quotation, supplemented by professional services revenue from installation, annual inspections and ad hoc repairs delivered either directly or via dealers. Customers span education, police, fire service, medical, manufacturing, sports and leisure, retail and construction sectors; named end-customers disclosed publicly are JD Sports and the University of Oxford. Competitive positioning rests on regulatory credentials (ISO 9001/14001/45001, BSI 27001, CHAS, SafeContractor, Achilles UVDB Silver+, RISQS, EcoVadis Gold, SEMA founding member), proprietary ActiveCoat technology, the Fire Zero EN 13501-1 certified charging locker range, and domestic UK manufacturing that the company claims shortens lead times. Probe has no software, app or AI offerings and operates exclusively within the United Kingdom.

Name

Probe

Legal name

Whittan Industrial Limited

Website

https://probe-manufacturing.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Probe is a UK-based steel locker, cupboard and cloakroom furniture manufacturer operating since 1960 as a brand of Whittan Industrial Limited, selling exclusively through a nationwide UK distributor and dealer network to education, police, fire, medical, manufacturing, leisure and construction customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hyde

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Locker and Cupboard Sales: Manufacture and sale of steel storage products including lockers, cupboards, and cloakroom furniture. Products sold as one-time purchases with various configurations and customisation options.
2. Installation Services: Professional installation services for lockers provided to dealers and end customers, following a structured 5-step process including site survey, drawings, cost estimation, installation, and inspection.
3. Maintenance and Repair Services: Annual inspection services and ad hoc repairs for existing locker installations, extending product longevity and maintaining warranty compliance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Probe manufactures and sells steel lockers, workplace and specialist cupboards (including COSHH and Medical), and premium cloakroom furniture from UK facilities, distributing exclusively through a nationwide network of UK dealers and distributors. The company supplements its hardware range with proprietary ActiveCoat antimicrobial technology, fire-resistant certified charging lockers (PowerBox), water-resistant wet-area lockers (ZenBox), and professional installation, inspection, and repair services for dealers and end customers.

Product overview

Probe is a UK-based manufacturer of premium quality lockers and storage solutions established in 1960, now part of the Whittan Group. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of locker products including Standard Steel, Fire Suppression, Work Wear, Large Capacity, Garment Management, Reduced Height, Education, Golf, Security, PowerBox (charging), BuzzBox, TimberBox, ShockBox, ZenBox, and ZenBox Ultra ranges. The product portfolio also extends to cupboards (Work Place, Specialist/COSH/Medical/PPE) and Premium Cloakroom Settings (benches, hooks, rails, shoe baskets). Products are manufactured from high-quality steel in the UK with a 7-year warranty and feature ActiveCoat technology for hygiene protection. The range serves diverse sectors including education, police, fire service, medical, manufacturing, sports & leisure, retail, and construction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Standard Steel Lockers Durable standard steel lockers providing personal storage for schools, factories, offices, and dry areas in sports centres and gyms, designed to withstand regular use and resist daily wear and tear.
• Fire Suppression Lockers UK's first waterless lithium-ion fire suppression charging solution with AF-X aerosol system, designed for safe storage and charging of lithium-ion batteries.
• Work Wear Lockers Specialised work wear lockers including Clean & Dirty lockers, Uniform lockers with hanging rails and hooks, Twin lockers with double storage capacity, and Slim lockers for space-efficient installation.
• Large Capacity Lockers Extra-wide lockers for bulky items and equipment including High Capacity lockers, Police lockers for body armour and gear, and Crew lockers for uniform and plain clothes separation.
• Garment Management Lockers Lockers for uniform distribution and collection including Garment Dispensers for secure laundered clothing issue and Garment Collectors for depositing used garments.
• Reduced Height Lockers Compact reduced height lockers including Personal Effects Lockers for keys, wallets and cameras, and Cube Stackable Lockers available in three heights for space-limited environments.
• Education Lockers Age-appropriate education lockers including Half Height for nursery and infant schools, Three Quarter for Key-Stage 2/3 students, Cube for multi-purpose storage, and Full Height for comprehensive storage needs.
• Golf Lockers Specialised golf and sports lockers with Top Lockers for equipment storage and Bottom Lockers for unobstructed golf club access, available in timber effect finishes.
• Security Lockers Enhanced security lockers including Vision Lockers with transparent doors for visibility inspection and Clear View Lockers for unrestricted content viewing.
• PowerBox Charging Lockers Charging lockers designed for laptops, tablets, phones, radios and body cams with UK 3 Pin Plug and USB-C/USB-A options, eliminating trailing cables and theft risk at open power points.
• BuzzBox Lockers Sophisticated lockers with satin finish doors in standard and extended colour ranges, adding style to contemporary office, school, retail and leisure spaces.
• TimberBox Lockers Leisure industry favourite lockers with wooden finish MFC doors in five timber effect finishes (Walnut, Beech, Maple, Lugano Oak, Cannola Oak) on a standard steel body.
• ShockBox Lockers Durable laminate door lockers built to withstand frequent use, less likely to scratch, dent or be damaged, ideal for busy high-traffic areas.
• ZenBox Water-Resistant Lockers Water resistant lockers designed for wet areas including leisure centres, swimming pools, schools and gyms, keeping contents safe and dry with fixed top shelf and double coat hook.
• ZenBox Ultra Lockers Robust lockers for demanding wet environments including leisure centres, swimming pools, schools, gyms, spas and outdoor areas, available in multiple width and depth configurations.
• Work Place Cupboards Steel workplace cupboards including Standard, Security, Vision, Slimline, Large Volume, Low, Janitor and Wardrobe cupboards in various sizes and colours.
• Specialist Cupboards Industrial specialist cupboards including COSHH cupboards with spill containment, Medical cupboards complying to BS5499-1, and PPE cupboards with 270-degree labelling.
• Premium Cloakroom Settings Premium cloakroom furniture including Slatted benches, Hook benches, Overhead hanging benches, Wall hook strips, Shoe baskets, Low seats and Wall mounted shelf and rail systems.
• Installation Services Professional installation services for lockers provided to dealers and end customers, following a structured 5-step process including site survey, drawings, cost estimation, installation, and inspection.
• Maintenance and Repair Services Annual inspection services and ad hoc repairs for existing locker installations, extending product longevity and maintaining warranty compliance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 7-year warranty on all lockers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Whittan Industrial LimitedcoreOthersParent company and manufacturer of Probe products. Whittan Industrial Limited (company number 04428828) registered in England and Wales is the legal entity manufacturing and supplying Probe lockers. Products are manufactured under the trading name 'Probe Lockers'.
• Lion Steel Equipment LimitedcoreOthersManufacturing partner operating Lion Steel facility in Hyde, Cheshire. Produces Probe products at their Johnson Brook Road manufacturing site. David Gallagher serves as Internal Accounts Manager for both Probe and Lion Steel.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Helmsman Lockers: UK-based steel locker manufacturer serving workplaces, education and leisure end-markets with comparable product range. Directly competes with Probe for the same national distributor and dealer accounts.
• CP Lockers / Citrus Office Solutions: UK supplier of metal lockers and workplace storage cabinets serving the same education, leisure and commercial verticals as Probe. Competes head-to-head on distribution pricing and customer fit-outs.
• Link51: Sister brand also operated under Whittan Industrial Limited, manufacturing steel lockers, shelving and storage in the UK. Directly comparable product portfolio, overlapping dealer channel, and shared parent makes it the closest peer in the UK locker market.
• Bicostar: European steel locker and storage furniture manufacturer producing comparable steel lockers, cloakroom and metal cabinets for workplace, education and sports facilities. Competes with Probe in cross-border tenders and imports into the UK market.
• Sjolund: Nordic manufacturer of steel furniture including lockers and cloakroom systems for schools, sports and workplaces. Comparable product mix (steel lockers + cloakroom furniture) and similar vertical focus make it a relevant international peer.

Broad incumbents

• Bisley: Established UK manufacturer of office steel storage, including lockers, cupboards and broader workplace furniture. Overlaps with Probe's workplace locker range but operates a wider portfolio (filing, tambour units, office furniture) for office-focused buyers.
• Manutan: European B2B workplace supplies distributor offering lockers, storage and facility equipment alongside a much broader catalogue. Competes indirectly on workplace locker tenders via distribution rather than primary manufacture.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/probe-lockers

Compliance19 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Probe